Medical emergencies facing general practitioners: Drugs for the doctor's bag

Abstract

General practitioners are frequently facing medical emergencies. In order to react properly and administer therapy on time, a general practitioner needs to prepare and keep with himself the appropriate set of drugs which could be effectively used for treatment of the emergencies. The following drugs should find their place in the doctor's bag: acetaminophen (for mild and moderate pain, and for fever), morphine (for severe pain), naloxone (for heroin poisoning), ceftriaxone (for meningococcal meningitis), albuterol (for bronchial asthma attack), hydrocortisone (for bronchial asthma attack), glucagon (for severe hypoglycemia), dextrose (for mild to moderate hypoglycemia), diazepam (for febrile convulsions or epileptic status), epinephrine (for anaphylaxis and cardiac arrest), atropine (for symptomatic bradicardia), chloropyramine (for acute allergy), aspirin (for acute myocardial infarction), nitroglycerine (for acute coronary syndrome), metoclopramide (for nausea and vomiting), haloperidol (for delirium), methylergometrine (for control of bleeding after delivery or abortion), furosemide (for acute pulmonary edema) and flumazenil (for benzodiazepine poisoning). For each of the listed drugs a physician should well know the recommended doses, indications, contraindications and warnings. All of the listed drugs are either registered in Serbia or available through special import, so general practitioners may fill their bags with all necessary drugs and effectively and safely treat medical emergencies.